MERIDIAN REFERENCE TWO CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER 857 $12,000 REVIEW
May 28, 2018 Comments Off on MERIDIAN REFERENCE TWO CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER 857 $12,000 REVIEW
“The Meridian 857 is certainly one of the nicest looking amplifiers I have seen, but its power reserves make it both Beauty and the Beast. Kudos to the Meridian team for designing an amplifier that makes us want to reacquaint ourselves with our music. Meridian has created an amplifier that demonstrates their finest ideals for an audio product. It is certainly one of the nicest looking amplifiers I have auditioned, as most other amps look like plain metal boxes compared to the rest of our components. The real trick was to add clean, unadulterated muscle that can turn the 857 into an astonishingly powerful mono-block. If this is their statement, I heard it loud and clear!”
MRSPEAKERS VOCE $3,000 REVIEW
May 27, 2018 Comments Off on MRSPEAKERS VOCE $3,000 REVIEW
“The VOCE is a bit more even in its coloration and some will hear it as slightly softer and more laid back with its treble response. I find the treble to be a bit more natural sounding though with slightly less air and sparkle than the 007 MK2. The 007 treble though might sound peakier, sharper and not as natural sounding though it does extend very well indeed.”
Rega Research Apollo CD player $1095 Review
May 27, 2018 Comments Off on Rega Research Apollo CD player $1095 Review
“When the recording contained it, there was no shortage of low-bass information from the Apollo. In “Almost Like the Blues,” from Leonard Cohen’s Popular Problems (Columbia 88875014292), the (presumably synthesized) bass line was entertainingly deep and full, as could also be said of Joe Ayoub’s electric bass in “Samson in New Orleans.” No stranger to the obvious, I also reached for Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 1962 recording of Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra (RCA Living Stereo/JVC JMCXR-0011). The introduction’s famous low C, played by the double basses and organ, was adequately strong—rightly or wrongly, other CD players, such as the above-mentioned Sony, give it a little more weight—but where the Rega really shone was the same note at the work’s end, now plucked by the double basses and set against a B triad from the woodwinds. That low C had what I thought was the precisely correct weight and a beautiful sense of touch, not to mention superb pitch certainty.”
KEF LS50W POWERED MUSIC SYSTEM $2199 REVIEW
May 26, 2018 Comments Off on KEF LS50W POWERED MUSIC SYSTEM $2199 REVIEW
“I must acknowledge that this is a problematic comparison because my main system is quite a bit more expensive and slightly different in overall character (Naim amplification and Focal speakers). If I had to pin down the difference, what I thought was less good was the presence of the LS50W’s smoothness that I had noticed early on. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the LS50W removed the records’ crackles and pops, or made records sound like CDs, but as with the Devialet amplifier I had (which, coincidentally, also converted the analog signal to digital), the inherent liveliness of several records was diluted. I imagine that this subtle shift may not be apparent with a different turntable”
Acoustic Solid Xtended-MPX Turntable + WTB-370 Tonearm Review
May 26, 2018 Comments Off on Acoustic Solid Xtended-MPX Turntable + WTB-370 Tonearm Review
“Overall, initial set-up took about 45 minutes. Acoustic Solid must be commended for their instruction guide. Even though I’ve set-up hundreds of TTs, I found their directions extremely helpful. After burning the ‘table in with the Vasari Red M/M cart for a week, all of my serious listening tests were done using the Sumiko Pearwood Mk#2 M/C cartridge.”
JH AUDIO LAYLA SIGNATURE DESIGN REVIEW
May 25, 2018 Comments Off on JH AUDIO LAYLA SIGNATURE DESIGN REVIEW
“The Unique Melody Mason V3 is much closer to the Layla for amping and volume requirements. The Mason V3 is rated at 24Ω and 104dB and in theory, should be much less sensitive. I would say that gap is not that big for volume matching off most DAPs I tested. Sources such as the Granbeat, DX150, AK240, AK380, and R6 all had around a 2-3dB adjustment between the two. As an example, on the DX150, both the Layla and Mason V3 sat comfortably at 100 and 105 on low gain compared to 80 low gain for the VE8 and 85 low gain for the A18.”
Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition $16,500/pair Review
May 24, 2018 Comments Off on Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition $16,500/pair Review
“Once you’ve achieved the perfect room balance, sit back and relax like the cool guy in the Sonus faber ad, you’ve earned it. The opening keyboard riff in the Afghan Whigs “The Spell” cuts through the mix, pushed right in front of my face, keeping perfect pace as Greg Dulli’s gravely voice folds in, slightly left of center, with layers of violins way beyond the speaker boundaries. This is what high-end sound is all about.”
Balanced Audio Technology VK-255SE Stereo Amplifier Review
May 23, 2018 Comments Off on Balanced Audio Technology VK-255SE Stereo Amplifier Review
“My impressions of its sound were mixed. The smooth-talking VK-255SE proved masterful at reproducing dynamic inflections, was fully capable of producing mesmeric levels of bottom-end fortitude and control, and its midrange was purer than that of almost any other solid-state power amplifier I’ve heard. However, the VK-255SE’s ability to produce a realistic sense of ambience or air, or to squeeze out that last iota of inner detail, notably trailed those of Constellation Audio’s Inspiration Stereo 1.0, Simaudio’s Moon Evolution 760A, and my considerably more expensive Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7Ms. The sound of BAT’s VK-255SE is therefore not quite my cup of tea — but if tube-like warmth, buttery textures, and arresting dynamics are what you find most inviting, then this amplifier deserves to be on your audition list.
Audio Physic Avanti Loudspeakers $8500 Review
May 23, 2018 Comments Off on Audio Physic Avanti Loudspeakers $8500 Review
“The Audio Physic Avanti is capable of outstanding bass reach and authority, but, unlike many loudspeakers with full-range performance, proved itself to be relatively unfussy with respect to placement. Perhaps owing to its ingenious internally-mounted woofer configuration, the Avanti could be placed close to rear or side walls without the bass becoming overblown or boomy. This flexibility with respect to placement afforded me the opportunity to, in addition to utilizing the Avantis in my smaller dedicated listening room, install them in a much larger shared living space, which requires me to place speakers closer to room boundaries.”
HIFIMAN RE-800 IN EAR MONITORS $699 REVIEW
May 22, 2018 Comments Off on HIFIMAN RE-800 IN EAR MONITORS $699 REVIEW
“My only issue with the design was getting a good fit. None of the provided eartips gave me a perfect fit. I like my IEMs to seal completely and tightly in the ear canal, providing lots of ambient noise isolation. All the eartips provided with the RE-800s were too wide at the tip and too narrow at the back to give me a good seal. But of course this is different for every person. I’d probably end up investing in custom molded eartips. But of course every listener will have to try them out to be sure. A side effect of the fit issue and the weight of the RE-800s is that they didn’t want to stay put when moving around. If the fit was tighter in the ear canal, I bet this would not be an issue.”
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